Former children’s officer arrested over child abuse claims

THE former head of a children’s charity and school is being investigated in connection with historic child sex abuse claims.

Colin Gregg, a member of the national baking dynasty Greggs, where he was a director until 2001, was arrested on Saturday.

Northumbria Police arrested the 71-year-old as part of their investigation following a complaint against the former headteacher.

It is believed the complaint dates back some decades and relates to a child under the age of 16.

Officers went to the pensioner’s home at the weekend where they arrested him and seized his computers. A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “A 71-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and released on police bail pending further inquiries.”

A spokesperson for Greggs, where Mr Gregg held a senior role for 10 years, said: “Colin Gregg has no involvement with Greggs Plc and it would therefore be wholly inappropriate for us to comment on this matter.”

Formerly a director at the baked goods giant established by his father John Gregg in the 1930s, Mr Gregg had previously held the lead role at Kings School in Tynemouth.

During his time there, he launched the Greggs Children’s Cancer Run, now in its 31st year, after pupil Chris Peacock was diagnosed with kidney cancer and given a 30% chance of survival.

Since its creation, the events has raised in excess of £5m for North of England Children’s Cancer Research (NECCR), at Newcastle. He left the prestigious school in 1990 to become the full time administrator with the Yellow Brick Road Fund, a charity set up to raise millions for projects.

The charity later became Children’s Foundation, fundraising for what is now the Great North Children’s Hospital.

Leaving the post in the mid 1990s Mr Gregg, a father-of-three, who used to work as a children’s officer with Newcastle’s social services during the early 1970s, later joined the Trinity Centre along Gosforth’s High Street – home to the first Greggs bakery – as its chairman.

Opened in 2008 the centre, connected to the church, hosts around 100 activities a week for the community.